Throwing Bricks
by Fruipit
Summary: Taang month 2014! Will update as often as possible, but it probably won't be everyday. I hope you like them! Spans love and friendship, to family and angst. Rating subject to change. Chapters likely to be revised, too. Chapters 11 and 13 omitted; chapter 2 rated M
1. Rejection

She found him huddled in a corner of the Earth King's Royal Gallery. The sweet sound of an erhu wafted down the hallway, the echoes warping it to suit his mood. He hastily wiped his eyes on his sleeve, but it dropped when he realised who had interrupted him.

Neither spoke as she sat down next to him, finding comfort in their touching shoulders. He heaved a sigh that turned into a sniffle, and watched as her hands clenched. The words were on her tongue, but she couldn't force herself to say it.

She couldn't bring herself to open her mouth; she just couldn't. It wasn't who she was. Now was not the time for an affectionate punch—but what did everyone else do? Turning her head in his direction, she slowly lifted her arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. The tension increased for a moment before he forced himself to relax. In spite of the soft gesture, it still had a hard edge as she pulled him close. Perhaps she knew before he did that he was cracking—it wouldn't come as a surprise to either of them—as a few short minutes later, the first sob shook him. The only warning her gave was a small shake before his insides crumbled; a landslide held back by a twig.

All she could do was hold him as he rocked gently against her, gripping her still-clenched hand in his as her shoulder became soaked with his tears. Somewhere between the shaking and sobbing, he moved to face her, holding her in a tight embrace. She slowly rubbed his back, not knowing what else to do. Pulling him to his feet, she lead him confidently down the hall. They slipped into her room; he stood awkwardly near the door as she shut it, surprise distracting him momentarily. It wasn't until she sat on the bed and pat the spot beside her that he moved. With no one around, she didn't have to fear for her pride. She wondered whether even that would stop her as she leaned her head down a little, resting her cheek against his.

The two sat there all night, seeking solace with each other.

Neither spoke. They didn't have to.

* * *

_AN: short, but this was just to tell you that I am participating, although I won't update everyday. I just can't. Uni sucks. But, I will finish it one day. Same with 'At the Sea-Side', for my Tokka fans. _


	2. Fight

_Just in case you didn't read the summary, this chapter is **M rated**. _

* * *

Toph's small whimpers filled the thick air as her short fingernails scratched at Aang's back. His breath was haggard and primal as he lowered his lips to her throat, kissing her pulse and eliciting a deep moan. Their hips met again and again, and Aang grinned triumphantly against the flesh of her collarbone.

_"Ugh,"_ she hissed, holding his head still as his teeth grazed along the tender skin of her breast. His tongue flicked out, teasing the small bud of her nipple as Toph all but sobbed at the sensation.

Taking a deep breath, Aang slowled pulled himself from her. Toph gave a choked cry, lifting her hips to follow him. He grinned at the wanton display; only for him. Only he would ever be allowed to see her in such a state. Kissing her passionately on the lips in an attempt to subdue her for a moment, he moved his face to whisper into her ear, "What were we arguing about again?" Toph groaned again, but it was borne from irritation rather than the lust-driven one she emitted earlier.

"Fu-" he silenced her with a well-timed kiss, breaking away only after he was sure he had swallowed the swear. Entering her again with a sigh, he whispered into her cheek, "Do you remember what we were arguing about?"

She actually growled at this, and before he knew it, she had flipped the both of them. Her green eyes shone with an emotion she would almost never vocalise before they rolled back and she shut the lids. With her moving her hips against his, it was Aang's turn to groan breathlessly at the sensation of her wrapped around him. She sat up, and for a completely different reason, Aang found his breath taken away.

"Spirits, Toph," he whispered. She gave him a sly grin as he grabbed her hips; her hands moved to cover his and she rolled her body again, getting faster and fiercer; taking him in deeper and deeper. "You're so sexy."

She faltered at his words with a choke, and Aang took advantage of her second of hesitation to flip them around again. Her cries were silenced as he kissed her forcefully, and neither could think beyond the warmth that was spreading from the place they were connected. Toph broke her lips away with a cry as Aang gave a particularly forceful thrust; he followed her, wanting to hold as much of her as possible at the moment of release. He could feel her on the edge, but it wasn't enough as he felt his own end coming. Trailing a hand down their interconnected bodies, Aand took note of the way she shuddered when his thumb grazed over her nipple and down her stomach. When his light fingers reached that sensitive bundle of nerves, it took only a few touches and husky gasp of her name to push her over the edge. Her walls tightened around him as she cried out, her voice swallowed by his lips. Her hips kept moving under his, encouraging him to follow.

It was Toph's turn to mute him as she forced her lips over his, riding out the tremors. Rolling off her, still connected, Aang kept his lips to her skin as he kissed away the sweat that had gathered around her face, while Toph let her hands run languidly over his chest.

"I hate you," she said after several heavy breaths. Aang laughed lightly, trailing his fingers up her body, avoiding her breasts—she has made it perfectly clear before that she is too sensitive afterwards for him to touch her again (a pity, in his eyes).

"You love me," he replied, kissing her ear. Toph rolled her eyes, but Aang could see the small smile pulling at her lips. Leaning closer, he kissed her delicately, pulling away just enough to murmur one more time.

"I love you, Toph..."


	3. Regret

_Follows "Day the First: Rejection."_

* * *

He was meditating.

Again.

Sitting in the center of a small pavilion at the far end of the Royal Earth Palace gardens, he trying to focus on nothing but his breath and the black behind his eyes. Everything around him was peaceful; the rising sun and running water of a small creek offered peaceful serenity that his own body refused him.

He couldn't get her smile from his mind, nor the feel of her skin off his. The way the smell of jasmine seemed to waft from her hair, wrapping him in a foggy cloud.

He shouldn't be outside, watching the sunset. He shouldn't be meditating on his actions, for hers had been only to help him. There shouldn't be a _need_for him to be here, not after her presence had calmed him.

Throughout the night, they hadn't spoken. He hadn't wanted to, and she hadn't been able to. To voice the words would have hurt the both of them, but as always, it was his actions that did the talking.

His head was in his hands now, all pretence of meditation forgotten as slowly, a small droplet of water trailed lazily down his cheek and onto his lap.

It was his actions that hurt because they hadn't at the time. At that moment, in that place, it had felt right. Having her there, holding him, it had been... bliss. But he was the farmer who killed the golden-egg-laying-gooseduck in a desperate bid to find the bigger prize. He couldn't be satisfied with the small affections she was giving him, when he really should have. She was not in the habit of doling out hugs and comfort, and yet when she did, it mattered; he should not have pressed her for more—he had no right—but he couldn't stop himself after the idea had taken hold, embedding itself deep. He couldn't be satisfied with her arms wrapped around him or her cheek touching his. He shouldn't have turned his head—he shouldn't have held her close. They were his undoing, and it was only seconds after his lips were placed over hers, so tenderly that it could have been nothing more than a ghost, that he was backing away, apologising.

He turned to the sky, bathed golden with the rising sun.

_I'm sorry._

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_A/N: and *I'm* sorry. This wasn't working. So I wrote a mini-OC story instead ^^" (it's on AW, but I can put it here if people are interested). There will probably be another part to this. I have part of day 4 done (oh god, is it the 28th already?) and I've finished Day 13. _


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